Choosing the Right Next Step

Just because your practice can grow does not mean it should.

It is easy to look around and feel like the next step is always more. More chairs, another associate, a bigger office, maybe even another location. But before you make the practice bigger, you need to ask yourself whether bigger actually gets you closer to the life you want.

Before making that next move, focus on three things:

1. Get clear on what you actually want.
   Do you want a bigger practice, or do you really want more income, more time off, or a practice that depends on you less? Those goals can lead you down very different paths.

2. Build the systems first.
   Growth has a way of exposing every weak spot in your practice. Strong systems, leadership, and communication will make your life easier whether you decide to scale or not.

3. Make sure the demand is real.
   If hygiene is full, patients are waiting, and there is nowhere left to put people, expansion may make sense. If the demand is not there yet, focus on building that first.

There is no one right way to build a practice. You can stay solo, add associates, or build multiple locations. What matters is that you are building your version of success, not someone else’s. The goal is a practice that gives you the income, freedom, and life you actually want.

If you are still figuring out what that looks like, this conversation may help bring some clarity: 

P.S. Before you decide your practice needs to get bigger, make sure you are not overlooking the production already inside it. Tomorrow at 7 PM Central, I’ll be breaking down the hidden leaks that can quietly hold a practice back in The Hidden Production Leaks Costing Your Practice $50K–$250K a Year. RSVP now in the DPH app under Virtual Events > Free Webinars, or on www.dentalpracticeheroes.com under Community Meetups.